THE CALLAHAN BAND

SAM ANDREW

Sam Andrew is a musician, singer, songwriter, composer, artist and founding member and guitarist of Big Brother and the Holding Company.  During his career as musician and composer, Andrew has had three platinum albums and two hit singles.  His songs have been used in numerous major motion picture soundtracks and documentaries.
His early influences were Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Little Richard, He also listened to a great deal of Delta Blues.  Not only did Sam have his own band at age fifteen, but he also had his own weekly TV show, an Okinawan version of American Bandstand.  Sam attended classes at San Francisco State University and got involved in the San Francisco folk music scene of the early 1960's. 

As Big Brother began to gel, Sam brought many songs into the band. "Call on Me" and 
"Combination of the Two" have been two of Big Brother's most enduring classic tracks.  Sam and original band mate James Gurley were known for their searing, psychedelic guitar work.  In February 1997, Guitar Player  magazine listed Sam and James work on "Summertime" as one of the top ten psychedelic solos in music history.  In December 1968 Sam along with Janis Joplin left Big Brother and the Holding Company to form the Kozmic Blues Band.  After about nine months and one album, I Got Dem Ol'Kozmic Blues Again Mama!,  Sam returned to Big Brother.